Astrological Musings

To do justice to this topic I will serialize this article in two parts. Neptune entered Pisces on April 4th, beginning a new 14-year cycle of Neptune traveling through its own sign.

By its very nature, Neptune is difficult to talk about. It tends to be evasive and dreamy, and full of imagination and artistic creativity. It also can become lost in the illusion of fantasy and encourage sacrifice of the individual self, sometimes for a higher purpose and sometimes in a codependent loss of Self. In its highest form Neptune inspires us to transcend the material world and connect deeply and directly with an experience of the Divine.

Before Neptune was discovered, Pisces was ruled by Jupiter. Jupiter, being one of the personal planets, operates on the worldly plane where Neptune, a transpersonal planet of transformation, inspires us to go beyond this world. Where Neptune governs the direct experience of transcendence, Jupiter presides over the more intellectual construction of what gives life meaning. Jupiter therefore is more concerned with religion and theology where Neptune deals with matters of spiritual experience. Both planets also have a hand in popular culture. Neptune is found in areas of artistry and entertainment, where Jupiter is more involved with the actual media through which entertainment is delivered to the masses.

With Neptune moving into Pisces, there is the potential for tremendous spiritual transformation, but also mass delusion such as has never been seen before. The last time Neptune entered Pisces was in February 1848, shortly after its discovery in 1845. 1848 is the year that the gold rush began in California, leading one reporter to complain that everyone in the state was […]

Much of this article is taken from the Planetary Illuminations for April. Aries is self-directed, with a purity and innocence that can elevate us out of the realm of ego and into an experience of pure Self. What is it you need for yourself now? This is the question asked of the Aries New Moon, especially since it is tightly aligned with Jupiter, the planet of our opportunities.

The New Moon on April 3 is at 13 Aries and contains some powerful planetary alignments. New Moons mark the beginning of a new lunar cycle, and the Aries New Moon is a time to reach deep into the heart of your desires and see what is most important in order for your own direction to unfold.

There are six planets in Aries right now, so the aggressive and instinctual force is particularly powerful and will overcome the more gentle Piscean influence of the other planets. In addition, Mars (Aries’ ruler) is exactly conjunct Uranus at the New Moon, accelerating the urgency to break free of any restrictions that bind us.

It appears that this will not be all that easy a process though, because the New Moon and Jupiter are opposited by Saturn, the lord of limitations and constriction. Saturn is the balancing force here, keeping our feet on the grounds and ensuring that we honor our responsibilities. This could feel more like repression and confinement, and perhaps the frustration of delays and disappointments in accomplishing our desires. Saturn’s goal is not to make us miserable, but instead to ensure that we have undergone adequate preparation so that our ventures will be a success.

“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed.”

Mercury turns retrograde today, taking us into three weeks of reconsideration and re-evaluation with potential communication and equipment glitches. Mercury is in Aries during this retrograde, and since Aries is the sign of action and initiation it’s not too happy when it has to look backwards and review rather than take direct action.

Retrograde periods serve a function that goes beyond creating problems in our lives: they are opportunities for do-overs. If you didn’t get something right the first time, this is a chance to go back and do it over again. It’s a time for reassessing our priorities, for reviewing the things we have done and the plans we have set in motion.

While it’s generally true that contracts signed and decisions made when Mercury is retrograde often require renegotiation and revision, we can’t always put our lives on hold for three weeks. Sometimes we have to begin a job or sign an important contract when Mercury is retrograde, in which case it’s helpful to know that communication problems are likely and be prepared for that. If you CAN avoid starting something new when Mercury is retrograde it makes life easier, but life isn’t always about things being easy. Life urges us to grow and evolve, and along the way we will encounter bumps on the road.

Mercury retrograde periods are excellent for reassessing the past, for redoing your plans, for looking back at your goals to see where they can be realigned with your present reality and hopes for the future. It’s a time to gather your resources so that you can emerge at the end of the retrograde with a new confidence and with improved resources.

This week the expansive urge of Jupiter bumps up against the contraction of Saturn for the third and final time in the current cycle. This is the “Full Moon” phase of the cycle, the culmination of a pattern that began in 2000 with the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Taurus. Mundane astrologers, observing the effect of astrological patterns on nations and politics, connect the Saturn/Jupiter opposition with a crisis point or climax in global political events.

It’s hard to tell right now which planetary cycle is inspiring the political events unfolding on the ground, and I tend to think that Uranus entering Aries, being a more powerful planet in its influence, is primarily in play with the revolutionary fervor that is spreading around the world, including in the UK where hundreds of protesters rioted in London last weekend, protesting against the concentration of wealth and the reduction of goods and services for the common man. This is very Uranian and a harbinger of what is to come over the next few years as Uranus and Pluto align in square formation.

Jupiter/Saturn alignments are often significators of financial adjustments, but stock market indices are relatively stable at the moment. I have found that the square aspect (90 degrees) is usually more problematic than the opposition. Oppositions create a tension, but the tension can be balanced and does not always necessitate a crisis for resolution.

However, with Mercury turning retrograde on March 30th, we are in the shadow of the retrograde which could bring about a downturn in the market. Uranus in Aries is quite volatile anyway, and it won’t take much inspiration to create havoc in financial markets and stocks. The retrograde turn of Mercury generally […]

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lokasiwisata.info has been a practicing astrological consultant in beautiful North Carolina for over 30 years, working with clients all over the world both in person and by phone. She focuses on therapeutic and healing approaches which encourage greater empowerment and personal growth. She is available for personal consultations.

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Mercury retrograde in 2019

When Mercury is retrograde we often see communication and equipment snafus, and things not going according to plan. There is a "shadow" period lasting about a week on either side when Mercury's movement is slower than normal. These are excellent times for planning and reflection but not good times to begin something new. More details here.